


Away Mission

by poehlersehlat



Series: Enterprise E² Drabbles [1]
Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Kid Fic, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-12
Updated: 2014-09-12
Packaged: 2018-02-17 01:52:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2292512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poehlersehlat/pseuds/poehlersehlat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trip (who knows all too well the pain of being left behind) vies for 6 year old Lorian to join him on an away mission.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Away Mission

“So what’s it look like down there?” Archer looked across the small table in the Captain’s Mess to Trip, who was briefing him on the planned away mission to the planet that _Enterprise_ was currently orbiting.

“Looks beautiful, probably the nicest place we’ve found in about a year.”  


“The planet is Minshara class, approximately 14,000 kilometers in diameter, with a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere not dissimilar to Earth.” T’Pol interjected, apparently eager to provide some more precise input. “We have not found any evidence of large lifeforms. However, there is dense vegetation on large parts of two of the three continents and there are indications of extensive subsurface dilithium deposits at the site where Commander Tucker plans to land with the away team.”

“Sounds good. So you’re planning to be down there for four or five hours?”  


“Yeah, I figure that’s enough time to collect samples and get the lay of the land. We can send specialty teams down later in the week to collect materials if we find anything useful.”  


Archer set aside the PADD he had been reviewing as the crewman served their meals.

Over the years, dinners in the captain’s mess for the three of them had been reduced to a weekly occurrence as the captain tried to spread his time more evenly among the crew, as well as his own family, and Trip and T’Pol were occupied with Lorian. While Esilia sometimes joined them, she more often left the three of them to dine alone; a small remnant of their lives before the Expanse.

“Jon, how do you feel about me bringing Lorian on the away mission? I know I won’t be much help with him in tow, but I think he could use a chance to stretch his legs.”

“I don’t see why not. If there’s a kid aboard who could sit in a shuttlepod for an hour without going stir-crazy, it’s Lorian.”

T’Pol straightened almost imperceptibly. “Captain, are you sure that is wise?”

“I’ll leave that decision up to the two of you.” Archer leaned back, giving his “I’m Switzerland” look that Trip and T’Pol were now highly familiar with.

Trip turned to her. “T’Pol, we can’t handle him with kid gloves forever.”

“An ironic phrasing of your argument, as that approach would seem entirely logical.”

“What’re you worried about happening down there?”

“It is not possible to fully anticipate the risks posed by the environment from orbit."  


“I’ll be watching him.”

“He may place himself in a dangerous situation more quickly than you are able to prevent. You were undoubtedly the sort of child who frequently injured himself by engaging in risky behavior.”

“I was not.”

“Well, as an adult you show a remarkable aptitude for just that. I only assumed it must be a genetic gift.” She raised her eyebrow in an expression that hinted at the love behind her challenge.

“You basically had a grizzly bear as a pet when you were kid!”

“You mischaracterize the situation.”

Jon was trying not to smirk and largely failing. He quickly took another bite in a vain attempt to mask his amusement. He had found himself the spectator for many of Trip and T’Pol’s disagreements and given that he could now say with confidence that they weren’t going to kill each other, he rather enjoyed listening to his two closest friends poke holes in each other’s logic. He also suspected that they got a certain amount of pleasure from arguing with each other, although he tried not to dwell on that particular thought.

Trip pressed on. “T’Pol, he’s only been off the ship a few times since he was a baby. He needs to stretch his legs. Breathe some fresh air and see some of the world. Or, well, _a_ world.”

He looked down at his plate briefly, pushing the food around with his fork.  


“And he’s my son, too. You know how I would feel if something happened to him.”

She met his eyes and they were silent for a moment. Archer knew they must be communicating through their bond. T’Pol’s face remained still, but he watched as Trip’s expression softened.

The matter apparently settled, she spoke. “I will be performing detailed scans of the planetary surface before you leave.”

“Of course,” Trip replied, now with a small smile.

Archer leaned forward again, resuming his place in the conversation. “So what time are you heading out tomorrow?”

  


* * *

  


Late the next afternoon, T’Pol was waiting in the corridor when the doors to Decon hissed open. Lorian hurried out to meet her and T’Pol crouched to speak to him at his eye level.

“Mother! I have gathered sixteen specimens of indigenous life. May we examine them now?” A small sealed container swung from a handle clutched in Lorian’s fist. The other crewmen walking out of Decon looked on in amusement at Lorian’s excitement.  


“These have been processed through Decontamination?” she asked, looking to Trip, who was a few steps behind his son.

“Yes, ma’am.” He replied. T’Pol noted his rejuvenated smile and felt their bond pulse with his happiness. It seemed to have done both of them some good to get off the ship and stretch their legs.

T’Pol turned her attention back to Lorian. “Then let’s ask Dr. Phlox if we may use one of his microscropes.”  


Lorian led the way. He did not run as a human child might but walked quickly in his anxiousness to reach sickbay.  


Trip extended a hand to T’Pol to help her up. He was obviously looking for an excuse to touch her, but she nonetheless accepted. He squeezed her hand momentarily, sending her further reassurance that everything had gone well. They separated after a few seconds and walked side-by-side after their son.

In sickbay they found a smiling Phlox already agreeing to Lorian’s request. Trip carried over the appropriate microscope and supplies while T’Pol guided Lorian through the procedure to open a scientific observation log on a PADD. Trip then pulled over a stool and, with a series of cheesy sound effects straight out of Movie Night, scooped Lorian up and lifted him so he could stand on the stool. Lorian smiled at his father’s silly behavior before fixing his attention on the microscope.  


Trip stood behind Lorian as a precaution while T’Pol worked to set up the microscope and prepare a sample for examination. She explained each step to Lorian before finally leaving him to make the final adjustments to the focus. As Lorian leaned forward and began to list off observations, T’Pol stepped back from the table and closer to Trip. She allowed the back of her left hand to brush against his right and small currents of a warm peaceful feeling passed through their connection. He met her gaze with a smile, his tongue poking playfully at the inside of his cheek, before they turned their attention back to their son, who was quite possibly making scientific observations faster than a PADD could be expected to record them.

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to my wonderful beta, marmolita!


End file.
